Spalding United 5
Carlton Town 3
Jake Newman helped himself to a hat-trick in a thrilling contest as Marcus Ebdon enjoyed a winning start to life as Spalding United manager.
It was smash-and-grab stuff from the Tulips against Carlton Town at the Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field on Saturday with three goals in the last seven minutes – but the win took them up to fourth in the Evo-Stik League First Division South standings.
It looked like being a simple day at the office for Spalding when Newman (2) and skipper Nathan Stainfield (20) fired them 2-0 ahead early on.
However, Romaine Graham (31) and Dan Gordon (36) levelled for the visitors before the break – before Josh Rae (77) fired them ahead late on.
That sparked a stirring finish from the Tulips, though, as Newman (83 and 87) and Mitch Griffiths (pen 90) notched late on to clinch an exhilarating win.
New boss Ebdon said: “All you can ask for in your first game in charge is a win.
“Did it go to plan? No, not really.
“We went 2-0 up and I fellt like we were cruising.
“All of a sudden we found ourselves level and then behind.
“But the lads showed their togetherness in the last ten minutes and really came together to get those goals.
“That’s no surprise, really. They’ve been brilliant since I took over and I couldn’t really have asked any more of them.
“Moving up to fourth place is obviously a bonus. It’s a crazy league, isn’t it?
“Just a few weeks ago we’d lost three in a row. Now we’ve won a few on the trot – and we’ve still got games in hand.”
The Tulips got off to a blistering start with Vic Couzens’ man-of-the-match Newman celebrating the first of his three goals with a perfectly placed header from a Griffiths cross in the second minute.
Skipper Stainfield increased the lead midway through the half with a trademark header from a Dan Lawlor corner after his initial shot had been deflected off target by a defender.
Within a minute the hard working Dan Banister found himself in a one-on-one situation with goalkeeper Jack Steggles, but miscued with the goal at his mercy.
The Tulips then looked comfortable but took their foot off the pedal and allowed Carlton freedom.
Twice in quick succession they forced keeper Michael Duggan into good saves before reducing arrears on 31 minutes.
The normally reliable Stainfield lost possession in midfield and Graham seized the initiative to burst forward and drive the ball firmly past Duggan.
Five minutes later Carlton were back on level terms thanks to a superb free kick from 25 yards out by Gordon.
The Tulips were back in full flow for the second half, though.
A great run and neat pass inside by Josh Moreman found Newman, whose effort was blocked by Steggles.
Then Moreman himself curled a good opportunity just wide of the target.
But Carlton were handed an unexpected lead on a plate in the 77th minute.
Duggan, seemingly under no pressure and with the ball to hand, dropped it to the ground to make his clearance, but was not aware of the advancing Rae who raced in to take possession and plant the ball into an empty net.
Far from going into their shell, the closing stages saw the Tulips encamped in the Carlton area.
The pressure told when Newman took a neat pass from Griffiths in full stride to rifle in the equaliser on 83 minutes – and four minutes later completed his hat-trick with an opportunist strike following a flick on by substitute Charley Sanders.
Then, with just seconds remaining, Banister was brought down as he entered the area and Griffiths completed Carlton’s misery by hammering home the resultant penalty.
Tulips: Duggan, Walker (Sanders 40, Waumsley 83), Jackson, Spafford, Stainfield, Murphy, Griffiths, Lawlor, Newman, Moreman (Humble 65), Banister.
- MOTM: Jake Newman.
- Attendance: 130.
